Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Brussels to New York. While the right side wins at takeoff for the Brussels city view, the left side delivers the more dramatic payoff: over the Atlantic you get the southern coast of Ireland and Cornwall on the left, and the JFK arrival on the left side gives you the full Manhattan skyline approach — one of the most iconic urban aerial views in the world. Switching to left after departure is the better overall strategy.

During takeoff from Brussels Natl (BRU), sit on the Right side for the best views. Brussels Airport's primary departure runway 25R sends aircraft westward, and the right side gives you a clear view south over central Brussels — the city grid, the Atomium area, and the Senne valley are all visible before you climb out over Brabant farmland. The left side faces north toward flat Flemish polder country with little of visual interest. Notable sights include: Brussels city center and Grand Place district, the Atomium structure in Laeken, the Senne river valley, Brabant agricultural patchwork.

When landing at John F Kennedy International (JFK), sit on the Left side for the best views. JFK's most common arrival approach is from the east or northeast on runway 31L/31R, meaning the aircraft tracks over Long Island before turning over Jamaica Bay. The left side gives you the Manhattan skyline across the bay, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and the Brooklyn waterfront — the right side faces south over the Atlantic and the Rockaways with far less to see. Notable sights include: Manhattan skyline across Jamaica Bay, Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Brooklyn waterfront and bridges, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge wetlands directly below.

The flight from Brussels Natl (BRU) to John F Kennedy International (JFK) takes Approximately 8 to 9 hours.

The route tracks northwest from Belgium over the English Channel and southern England, then crosses the southern tip of Ireland near Cork, before heading out over the North Atlantic. The mid-ocean portion passes south of Greenland and over the Labrador Sea. The Canadian coastline of Newfoundland — with its deeply indented fjords and the Avalon Peninsula — is visible on the left side roughly two-thirds through the flight. The route then crosses Nova Scotia and descends over the Gulf of Maine and Long Island Sound toward JFK.